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Rob Steen, who has appeared on David Letterman seven times, will be one of three comedians performing at the Ramada Conference Center on Friday, May 23.

The Auburn Firefighters Local 797 Children’s Fund will present two 21+ comedy shows on Friday, May 23 at 7 and 9 p.m. at the Ramada Conference Center in Lewiston. The shows will feature three professional comedians, including Rob Steen, who have appeared on Letterman, Leno, at Foxwoods Casino and Mohegan Sun. Proceeds will benefit programs supported by the Children’s Fund.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door for a suggested donation of $10. Advance tickets can be purchased by calling (207) 432-6968 or emailing alex@ecmgevents.com.

Touring behind a 2013 recording celebrated for its fresh approach to the weary theme of love gone wrong, singer-songwriter Josh Ritter will perform on Sunday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Olin Arts Center Concert Hall at Bates College in Lewiston.

Named one of the “100 Greatest Living Songwriters” by Paste magazine in 2006, Ritter is an American musician and author known for his distinctive Americana style and storytelling lyrics. The Bates concert is part of an acoustic tour presenting Ritter’s songs in stripped down, intimate arrangements.

Calmness reigned as our coffee group sat around in Tim Horton’s last Thursday, waiting for the fulfillment of this week’s latest prophesy from the hallowed heights of Mt. Washington’s abode of the Gods of meteorology. Snow was coming!

Conversation turned to a walk down memory lane of winters past. Winters without the Weather Channel. Winters reported by three TV channels that ceased to broadcast after 1 a.m. It was a time when the weathermen were plain looking and the least important members of the news staff. The accuracy of their forecast was slightly more accurate than a coin toss.

I become incensed when I hear the continual chant of our progressive state legislators, blaming every evil that befalls the country and the world on rich people.

Unless you were lucky enough to be born into a rich family, like Maine’s Senate President Justin Alfond or the Kennedys of “Camelot,” chances are your wealth was obtained through long hours, personal drive, creativity and the knowledge of how to obtain financial stability through labor, not government handouts.

This self-reliance makes you an enemy of those charged with creating a “Nanny State.”

After fulfilling a life-long dream by completing the Boston Marathon last year, local chiropractor Ryan Metivier plans to run in the event again this year, this time to raise funds to help the Mainers affected by the 2013 Marathon bombing.

Qualifying to run in the Boston Marathon was one of local chiropractor Ryan Metivier’s life-long goals. When he crossed the finish line in 2013, he thought it was the icing on the cake.

“With the grueling winter training regimen, my busy schedule, and those long, cold Sunday morning runs, I never thought I would be motivated to run it again,” he said.

All of that changed with the bombing that marred the 2013 event. In the aftermath of the attack, he felt compelled to be a part of this year’s Marathon as well. He has decided to dedicate this year’s effort to raising funds to benefit the Mainers affected by the tragedy.

“I feel like I’m paying tribute to those who were struck down last year,” he said. “It’s like not running would somehow mean that the ‘bad guys’ won. I want to show people what this race really means.”

While training for the marathon this winter, Metivier has thought about how he could turn the long, tiring training process into a friendly competition. Inspired by the 2013 world champion Boston Red Sox, he is challenging members of the community to join him in growing out their beards Red Sox-style and “using the savings from those razor blades to team up and donate money” to benefit local Marathon victims.

The Franco Center’s stand-up comedy series will resume on Friday, February 7 at 8 p.m. with headliner Michael “The Korean Comedian” Cho and warm-up sets by New Hampshire comics Greg Boggis and Matt Barry. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.

The show is the second of five monthly stand-up comedy nights taking place through May at the Franco Center, in addition to an evening with comedian Bob Marley, who returns with two back-to-back shows on the night of April 12.

Stewardship, common sense, a sense of reality and the ability to recognize misplaced compassion are characteristics vital to insure the success of individuals and businesses. Lacking these characteristics will make one a truly successful legislator.

They will be heralded for their courage and insight, called a champion of the people and a forward thinker. This heaped upon them by party leaders, special interest groups and the media. But the common-sense individuals and businesses that labor daily to just get by will curse those policy makers in Washington and Augusta whose progressive thoughts continually decrease the fruits of the working man’s (and woman’s) labor. They will sacrifice the working person’s well being in order to gain the support of special interest groups.

I write this week’s column pleading to the governor and the Democratic and Republican Legislative leaderships to find common ground and restore revenue sharing to Maine cities and towns.

For the benefit of our readers, the revenues distributed to the cities and towns are derived from a formula in which a portion of the state’s sales tax receipts are distributed to the cities and towns. Cities and towns then use this money to keep property taxes down.

This is not some form of municipal welfare. Sales tax revenues are the result of cities and towns investing local taxes in infrastructure, municipal services and providing an attractive place to live and do business. The more businesses and people we attract to our area, the greater the sales tax receipts.

Nonprofit and public organizations seeking funding for projects that draw on the strengths of the community and foster collaboration are encouraged to apply to the Androscoggin County Fund, part of the Maine Community Foundation’s Community Building Grant Program.

A volunteer committee of Androscoggin County residents and business leaders reviews grants and makes recommendations for funding. The deadline for applying is February 15. The application and guidelines are available at www.mainecf.org.

The 2014 Auburn Winter Festival will begin on Friday, January 24 and conclude on Sunday, January 26. Festival events and activities will take place at Lost Valley Ski Area, Norway Savings Bank Arena, Auburn Public Library, Walton School, the PAL Center and a number of other locales. Highlights will include a 3-on-3 pond hockey tournament, sledding, snowmobile rides, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, skating, ice sculptures, and a torchlight parade.

For more information and a complete schedule of activities, see the City’s website at www.auburnmaine.gov.